We certainly know how Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp feels about the UEFA Nations League, as he ripped it to pieces on Sunday, calling it “the most senseless competition in the world of football.”
Klopp made the comments after his side’s goalless draw with Manchester City on Sunday. The result left both teams with 20 points, and atop the Premier League table, along with Chelsea. City are in first by virtue of goal differential while Liverpool are now third. With the conclusion of Sunday’s action, another international break ensues and that comes on the heels of Liverpool having just played seven matches in 23 days.
It was a pretty heavy workload for the Reds, and the stretch included some very formidable opponents, such as: Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli. You can see why the German was so upset.
Without further ado, take it away Jurgen Klopp:
“If somebody would have told me after eight match days you have 20 points, I would say with that fixture list: ‘I’ll buy it, let’s start with the ninth match day.
“The boys unfortunately go away again now and have to play Nations Cup games — the most senseless competition in the world of football. And we hope that they come back healthy and play these easy competitions, the Premier League, the Champions League and all this.”
“It’s tough times for the boys, eh? But I said already in an interview, we have to start thinking about the players. Somebody asked me: ‘Is the level of the game because of the intensity?’ Already in the question, there is criticism; it could have been better if you were fresher.”
“If you want to see fresher, give them a summer break — for Jordan Henderson, it was exactly two weeks, which is funny, but that’s how it is. That’s why I say, going away is not a big problem, but now you call a manager of any country and ask him to leave out one or two players and he says: ‘I am under pressure as well,’ because now it’s Nations Cup.”
“I don’t exactly know what you can win, but there is some final next summer or something so … that’s it.”
Not sure many people would strongly disagree with Klopp and run to the defense of the Nations League, or Nations Cup as he calls it. And just about everybody would agree with Klopp on what he said about injuries.
That’s pretty much what international breaks are all about- just hoping the players on your favorite team don’t get hurt.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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